Wisconsin native, conservative critic of everything.
"Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God." ---G K Chesterton
"The only objective of Liberty is Life" --G K Chesterton
"Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions" --G K Chesterton
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling

One student said she was in the middle of shampooing someone's hair when law enforcement barged in and served a search warrant."A frightening sight to see all these cars and suv's coming over here this morning and blocking everything off," says neighboring worker Cheryl Bankert.

Bankert watched from next-door to the building that law enforcement raided early Wednesday morning.

She watched people wearing guns and bullet proof vests wondering what happened.

Yah. AR-15's and Class III's to raid a Beauty College for Pell Grant fraud.

A detectable difference in the competitors is Kramer's stand that government spending should be controlled by limits set in the state constitution. The hotly debated initiative has failed to clear the Legislature in two forms.

"Taxes should not rise faster than a family's ability to pay them," Kramer said. "Lowering taxes will increase economic activity, and the result is greater revenue for government bodies."

Lufter's response: "I've been fighting on behalf of taxpayers for 15 years. I get involved to see what can be done to change that mind-set by controlling the spending. If you don't control the spending, you'll never get a handle on taxes. You can use fees as taxes, and I'm not for that."Reducing/controlling spending is the key--that is, Lufter's position is the one which makes sense.

In the end, only spending affects the level of taxes. Don't spend, and you won't tax. On the other hand, guaranteeing an increasing tax-revenue stream WILL lead to spending.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The board votes reversed a 2001 decision that allowed Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who was then a member of the House running for governor, to convert about $327,000 from his federal to his state account to help finance his campaign for governor. A complaint over Barrett's transfer of the $327,000 filed by the campaign of Jim Doyle, the then-attorney general who won the election, was dismissed by the board in 2001.At that time, SlimeJim was just another hack pol.

It's also been reported that the Board's attorney adamantly opposed this decision. He's not long for that world, I would guess.

Living in the western suburbs, I thought I smelled something rotten earlier today. I was right.

The Roman Catholic Church has had part of its flock in the Middle East for a long, long time. Thus, when the current Bishop/Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michael Sabbah, has something to say, it is worth reading and thinking about.

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)Christian Zionism is a modern theological and political movement that embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a just peace within Palestine and Israel.The Christian Zionist program provides a worldview where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it laces an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today.We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as false teaching that corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation.We further reject the contemporary alliance of Christian Zionist leaders and organizations with elements in the governments of Israel and the United States that are presently imposing their unilateral preemptive borders and domination over Palestine.This inevitably leads to unending cycles of violence that undermine the security of all peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the world.We reject the teachings of Christian Zionism that facilitate and support these policies as they advance racial exclusivity and perpetual war rather than the gospel of universal love, redemption and reconciliation taught by Jesus Christ.Rather than condemn the world to the doom of Armageddon we call upon everyone to liberate themselves from the ideologies of militarism and occupation. Instead, let them pursue the healing of the nations!We call upon Christians in Churches on every continent to pray for the Palestinian and Israeli people, both of whom are suffering as victims of occupation and militarism. These discriminative actions are turning Palestine into impoverished ghettos surrounded by exclusive Israeli settlements.The establishment of the illegal settlements and the construction of the Separation Wall on confiscated Palestinian land undermine the viability of a Palestinian state as well as peace and security in the entire region.We call upon all Churches that remain silent, to break their silence and speak for reconciliation with justice in the Holy Land.Therefore, we commit ourselves to the following principles as an alternative way:We affirm that all people are created in the image of God. In turn they are called to honor the dignity of every human being and to respect their inalienable rights.We affirm that Israelis and Palestinians are capable of living together within peace, justice and security.We affirm that Palestinians are one people, both Muslim and Christian. We reject all attempts to subvert and fragment their unity.We call upon all people to reject the narrow world view of Christian Zionism and other ideologies that privilege one people at the expense of others.We are committed to non-violent resistance as the most effective means to end the illegal occupation in order to attain a just and lasting peace.With urgency we warn that Christian Zionism and its alliances are justifying colonization, apartheid and empire-building.God demands that justice be done. No enduring peace, security or reconciliation is possible without the foundation of justice. The demands of justice will not disappear. The struggle for justice must be pursued diligently and persistently but without violence."What does the Lord require of you: To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)This is where we take our stand. We stand for justice. We can do no other. Justice alone guarantees a peace that will lead to reconciliation with a life of security and prosperity for all the peoples of our land. By standing on the side of justice, we open ourselves to the work of peace -- and working for peace makes us children of God."God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19)Patriarch Michel Sabbah Latin Patriarchate, JerusalemArchbishop Swerios Malki Mourad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate, JerusalemBishop Riah Abu El-Assal, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle EastBishop Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy LandThese are serious people with serious concerns, and they happen to know what's going on in the Middle East--unlike some who pontificate from comfortable chairs behind "golden microphones" or in New York City editorial offices--such as at NRO, for example.

It has been clear that this "Christian Zionism" affects the worldview and editorial concepts behind many of today's electronic media outlets.

I hardly expect that the opinion-maker/Christian Zionists will pay much attention to this statement. But people should.

Today the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the Minneapolis PD "has temporarily suspended the use of a well-known psychologist who has been screening potential officers for more than a year after community members questioned his affiliation with a group that opposes civil rights for gays." (see the Star Tribune report here: http://www.startribune.com/462/story/641727.html )The newspaper reported that Dr. Campion's "affiliation with a conservative Illinois group that says it opposes the 'gay lifestyle' was brought to interim Chief Tim Dolan's attention on Wednesday during a meeting with the Police Community Relations Council." Campion served on IFI's Board of Directors from 1998 until 2005. The Star Tribune reported that his business, Campion, Barrow & Associates, based in Champaign, Ill., has "received high marks from a consulting firm hired by the Minneapolis Police Department to evaluate his 'general procedural goodness and specific cultural fairness' of his testing procedures." This is not the first time Dr. Campion has suffered discrimination after having his character assassinated by liberal activists. Last year, the City of Springfield, Illinois, fired Campion as psychological reviewer for police and firefighter candidates after the left-leaning weekly Illinois Times ran an article about his role with Illinois Family Institute. Professional competency be damned.

An Italian exorcist said demonic influence is strong in today’s world, affecting individuals and sometimes entire societies. While it is very rare for a person to be possessed by a demon, history reveals some likely examples — including Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, said Pauline Father Gabriele Amorth.Father Amorth, who works as an exorcist in the Diocese of Rome, made the comments in an interview with Vatican Radio Aug. 27. Father Amorth said every culture in history has shown an awareness of the existence of evil spirits.With the Bible, he said, these spirits were identified as rebellious angels who “tempt man to evil out of hatred for God.” “The devil can possess not only individuals but also entire groups and populations.Or maybe the entire Governor's Office in Wisconsin?

Dee found that having a female teacher instead of a male teacher raised the achievement of girls and lowered that of boys in science, social studies, and English.Looked at the other way, when a man led the class, boys did better and girls did worse.The study found switching up teachers could narrow achievement gaps between boys and girls, but one gender would gain at the expense of the other.Dee also contends that gender influences attitudes. For example, with a female teacher, boys were likelier to be seen as disruptive. Girls were less likely to be considered inattentive or disorderly.In a class taught by a man, girls were likelier to say the subject was not useful for their future. They were less likely to look forward to the class or to ask questions.Just for fun, let's assume that the study is reasonably accurate.

So what does DomBet ask? A VERY good question:

If male teachers are so important for male students, how much more important are fathers to their sons? Is a girl raised by two homosexuals or a boy being raised by lesbians in the best environment?

One of the senators most criticized for his personal projects, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, has a hold of his own on Coburn’s bill to make public the spending patterns of the government. Called the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, the legislation calls for the creation of a database open to the public where citizens can track government spending.“He’s the only senator blocking it,” Coburn said of StevensBut did he really do it? Well, he had a motive: As the paper and others have noted, Stevens and Coburn have clashed before -- in particular over Stevens' now-legendary "bridge to nowhere." Coburn attempted (and failed) to block the $233 million boondoggle. And revenge certainly fits the senior Alaskan's m.o. "Stevens can play rough," the Seattle Times noted in June. "Despite denials from his staff, he retaliates - and doesn't mind waiting years to do so."Frankly, this behavior by Stevens also cost the VA a few million dollars for brain-injury treatment problems earlier this year. Stevens didn't like the sponsor of the earmark.

Stevens should be a target of rotten apples and other stinking vegetables when/if he ever shows up in Wisconsin. He's exactly the model of politician who is MOST vile: petty, arrogant, vengeful, and gives not a damn for the good of the Country.

As many as 14 people were injured this afternoon by a motorist who drove around San Francisco deliberately running them down before being arrested by police, who believe the same driver struck and killed a man earlier today in Fremont.At least one hit-and-run victim remained in critical condition this evening.Reports of the incidents began pouring in at 12:47 p.m., police said.Within a half-hour, San Francisco police had cornered and arrested 29-year-old Omeed Aziz Popal, who has addresses in Ceres (Stanislaus County) and Fremont. Last night's Channel 4 News didn't bother with the name of the perp.

This morning's ZENIT newsletter has a VERY interesting note on precisely that topic:

A: This difficulty of well-catechized children spontaneously asking for confirmation even though diocesan policy requires a higher age is increasing in many places.I suggest that you request an appointment with the local bishop, or another diocesan official with the necessary authority, who can assess the children's free desire and adequate formation and thus arrange for the confirmation to take place.If met with resistance, the parents, or a canonist who assists them, could point out a December 1999 protocol letter from the Congregation of Divine Worship to an English-speaking (and probably American) bishop on this theme. The letter (protocol No. 2607/98/L) was published in the congregation's official organ, Notitiae, in 1999, pages 537-540.The case is almost exactly parallel, in that the bishop denied an 11-year-old girl confirmation because diocesan policy held confirmation in sophomore year.We shall now quote a major portion of this letterIn light of Your Excellency's considered response, this Dicastery considers it necessary to respond in some detail to the considerations you raise, and so the case was submitted to a renewed and attentive examination. The Congregation was anxious to communicate the results of this study as soon as possible asking you to note the authoritative nature of the conclusions contained therein."After clarifying that the Vatican congregation does have authority to examine the bishop's decision not to allow the confirmation, the letter proceeds:"In reply to this Congregation's decision that appropriate steps be taken to provide for the girl's confirmation in the near future, Your Excellency had proposed essentially two arguments:"1. Though willingly admitting that the girl is well instructed and that her parents are very good Catholics, you point out that 'instruction is not the sole criterion for recognizing the opportune time for confirmation; this evaluation is a pastoral one which involves much more than being instructed.'"2. Your Excellency indicates that the Diocesan Policy establishing that conferral of the Sacrament is to be no earlier than the sophomore year of high school is within the right inherent in the law in light of the legislation complementary to can. 891 for the Conference of Bishops to which you belong."With respect to Your Excellency's first point, it is no doubt true that there is a pastoral judgment to be made in such cases, provided that by 'pastoral judgment' one is speaking of the obligation of the Sacred Pastors to determine whether those elements required by the revised Code of Canon Law are indeed present, namely, that the person be baptized, have the use of reason, be suitably instructed and be properly disposed and able to renew the baptismal promises (cf. cann 843,1; 889,2); it is clear this young girl has satisfied each of the canonical requisites for reception of the sacrament."In regard to the second point, while the selection of an older age for confirmation is within the bishop's right, the congregation goes on to say:"[I]t is also clear that any such complementary legislation must always be interpreted in accord with the general norm of law. As has been stated before, the Code of Canon Law legislates that Sacred Ministers may not deny the Sacraments to those who are not prohibited by law from receiving them (cf. can 843,1). Since it has been demonstrated that the girl possesses these requisite qualities, any other considerations, even those contained in the Diocesan Policy, need to be understood in subordination to the general norms governing the reception of the Sacraments." After pointing out that it is the role of parents as the primary educators, and then of the sacred pastors to see that children are properly instructed, the letter adds:"Consequently, when a member of the faithful wishes to receive this Sacrament, even though not satisfying one or more elements of the local legislation (for example, being younger than the designated age), these elements must give way to the fundamental right of the faithful to receive the Sacraments. Indeed, the longer the conferral of the Sacrament is delayed after the age of reason, the greater the number of candidates who are prepared for its reception but are deprived of its grace for a considerable period of time."The letter concludes with the Vatican congregation insisting to the bishop that the girl be given the opportunity for confirmation as soon as possible.Since the mind of the Holy See has been made manifestly clear, most bishops or diocesan officials would be happy to arrange for the confirmation provided the necessary conditions are met.It is important to point out that the congregation made no evaluation as to the wisdom of this, or any other, bishop's decision to designate an older age for confirmation. Such a decision may be pastorally advisable taking into account the general situation of religious formation and catechesis within the dioceses.Such a designation, however, should not be a straitjacket, that would deprive a sufficiently well-formed young member of the faithful, who freely requests it, the right to receive the sacrament.In other words, Diocesan policies cannot restrict rights of Catholics more than the restrictions found in Canon Law.

Another interesting phrase in the letter (almost a passing-note) was the reminder that parents are the primary educators of their children in contrast to, say, DRE's or CCD teachers.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

You simply can’t deny that Michigan’s ban is being used to take away domestic partnerhealth insurance. Or that Ohio judges have cited their ban to dismiss domestic violence charges.As we have noted before, "domestic partner" health insurance, when contracted or agreed to by a PRIVATE company, will not be affected. And when part of a union-contract with a public entity, they are not likely to be overturned (look, e.g., at Milwaukee County's retirement fiasco.)

However, "domestic partners" may or may NOT be homosexual. The public will not readily agree to offering healthcare benefits to anyone who is shacking up...and that discussion should be had.

As to "domestic violence," (also pointed out before,) this is also called "assault and battery." No problem. Cops arrest people for that every day. By the way, domestic violence of any sort is rarely something "out of the blue." Prudent people can read the signs of the times.

This debate has not been a "close call." Hypotheses about what might happen, what coulda/woulda/shoulda happened, and heartstring-pullers are not substantial, nor evidence.

It remains the case that the State cannot make licit what is naturally il-licit or un-natural, blackrobes notwithstanding.

Thanks, Owen, for a well-presented case. Ingrid was civil (better than some of her allies) and has our respect for that.

Supposedly a true story. I had a relative in the Title and Abstract biz (talk about ancien regime ) who would appreciate this:

A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to the parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the Lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply:(Actual letter):

"Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin."

Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows

(actual letter):

"Your letter regarding title in Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 194 years covered by the present application. I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was purchased, by the U.S., from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application. For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Isabella.The good queen, Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus' expedition. Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it AND the FHA.I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our damn loan?"He got the loan.HT: ProEcclesia

Fr. Tom Zelinski is a native of Menasha, Wisconsin. He has been a priest for 34 years. He has served on the staff of three different retreat centers for a total of 17 years, including 8 years earlier here at St. Anthony's. He has also served several years in a parish. He has also worked in formation work with younger members of the Capuchin Order as well as in high school campus ministry at St. Lawrence Seminary, Mt. Calvary, Wis. He serves at St. Anthony's as part of the preaching staff, in private spiritual direction, in helping at nearby parishes, and in "hosting," that is, connecting with the various groups who make use of St. Anthony's facilities.

...In my church, we simply don’t ordain women ...yet. Theological reasons are given, even though women do much of the heavy lifting in many ministries.One wonders what lies behind “theology” in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches when it comes to our attitudes toward women.At issue may be some deeply ingrained feelings about what women can and can’t do — even when many women do it very well, as in preaching, doing pastoral work, administering large organizations.I often wonder why some women themselves do not accept women in pastoral leadership. Is this some sort of strange jealousy or envy? And for men, various sorts of the “old boy” network go on and on.But any of us who apply the term “Christian” to ourselves ought to do some soul-searching about how Christian we really are in our thoughts and feelings about our sisters in Christ.(Rev.) Tom ZelinskiMarathon, Wis., Aug. 26, 2006The writer is a Capuchin priest. Fr. Tom spews this stuff here: St. Anthony Retreat CenterHT: The Cafeteria Is Closed

Dozens of people were killed as Shia militiamen battled the Iraqi Army for control of a city in southern Iraq yesterday.That's right, Shia militamen — that would be Moqtada al-Sadr's "al-Mahdi Army" — attacked the army of Iraq. That's a big deal. That's not insurgency, that's insurrection. Those weren't Americans, or even "coalition troops" they were shooting at. That was the Iraqi Army. It's a direct challenge to the fledgling government of Iraq by... Iran's chief stooge.HT: RedState

The campaign manager for state Sen. Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) filed a complaint Monday with the state Elections Board accusing Wauwatosa City Clerk Carla Ledesma of illegally altering the voting record of Reynolds' opponent, Wauwatosa Ald. James Sullivan.Reynolds claimed the change was made to indicate that Sullivan did not vote twice in the September 1998 election, as the Reynolds camp has charged.

Ledesma defended her actions Monday, saying she changed the record in recent weeks to correct an error and maintained she "did nothing wrong.""I have a poll list that clearly shows he did not vote" in Wauwatosa in September 1998, Ledesma said. "Yes, I corrected the record."

State Elections Board spokesman Kyle Richmond said local clerks are authorized to correct election records, as long as they document those actions. Ledesma states that there was no 'ticket number' next to Sullivan's name, meaning that he did not vote in Tosa in that election.

But this is curious:

Ledesma speculated that the discrepancy could have been caused by an antiquated voter software program that was replaced in 2002 after it became clear that it was corrupting data.

Ledesma said she first became aware of the discrepancy in 2000 when Sullivan's critics raised his voting record during his Wauwatosa aldermanic campaign. She said Monday that she could not remember whether she attempted to correct the record at that time. So---what OTHER voting records were discovered to be erroneous in 2000? Were any of them corrected? If not, why not?

Monday, August 28, 2006

1) Marriage is a fundamental societal building block found across all races, societies, religions, and generations. (One can infer that it is NOT a legal 'creation' and thus not subject to legal 're-creation,' but that's up to the reader.)

2) Legal 're-creations' are occurring, (Mass. and Vt.,) and is likely to occur in Wisconsin. Owen inserts a caution to advocates of the fiction of gay "marriage"--what one Court does another may well un-do; i.e., be careful what you wish for...

3) To avoid the prospect of a Legal Positivist forced fiction, The Amendment should be enacted in the upcoming referendum.

If one thinks rationally about the predicate actions of "gay" sexual activity, one's natural impulse is shock and utter distaste. Therefore, it is very important to the homosexual advocates that the question is not discussed in rational terms, which would include a discussion of homosexual activity--but rather in terms of "rights."

There is no "right" to un-natural activity, which underlies the question at hand.

I know that there are more than a few priests in this Archdiocese which can use this handy-dandy little book. It has large print and some pictures! So just send us an order for whatever you need. No problem--it's for the Faith and the faithful.

This is called "Hooked on Rubrics" and is developed by The Curt Jester. All Rights Reserved. Read the rest of the blurb!!

We have some reservations about WalMart/WallyWorld. It's not a good customer to have--they treat their suppliers like dirt, or worse.

But now it seems that they've been bitten by the Really Stupid Bug:

Wal-Mart, that bastion of Red State symbolism and middle-class values, apparently feels the need to bow down to Blue Staters as well with a new partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Wal-Mart is now a member of the group, a political organization that promotes the radical homosexual agenda including gay marriage and civil unions. For Wal-Mart this means that it will be pushing the homosexual agenda inside the corporation and among its employees and for the gay group it means that they can hit up Wal-Mart to fund their social re-engineering drive. What a deal. Now, WallyWorld "benefits" include "re-education" camps. Of course, these are provided free of charge.

The first issue concerns Daniel Maguire, a professor at Marquette University. He has dramatically dissented from clear church teaching for decades. After my arrival here four years ago, I sought counsel as to whether or not I should publicly warn the faithful about his erroneous opinions. Voices I considered wise advised me that this was not necessary, since the great majority of our people already recognize his views as clearly inconsistent with legitimate Catholic teaching.Regrettably, he recently has widely distributed two pamphlets claiming that, as preposterous as I know it sounds, abortion and same-sex marriage are consistent with Catholic teachings. Because of the response generated among shocked and thoughtful people in the archdiocese, I feel obliged to exercise my teaching responsibilities and say such positions are blatantly erroneous and contrary to the clear teaching of the church. To claim the acceptability of such opinions is simply wrong and disingenuous.ONE outta the park. But he takes another swing:

The second issue concerns the woman from our archdiocese who regrettably participated in a simulation of the sacrament of holy orders on a barge on a river in Pittsburgh. With the exception of a few inquiries from the media, the event has not generated a great deal of public comment, since most people seem to realize that her claims to ordination are groundless. People are saddened to see the sacraments, intended to be a source of unity, become an occasion for lobbying a personal agenda.

TWO outta the park. And now for the Grand Finale:

The third issue has to do with the “Call to Action” conference scheduled for Milwaukee this November. As you may recall, this group, based in Chicago, has been meeting in Milwaukee for decades. This group was actually initiated by the bishops 30 years ago, and started off asking some legitimate questions.But they have gotten way off track. In this case as well, I inquired some years ago what impact this annual meeting has on the archdiocese, and was told, almost none. Our Catholic people, I was advised, recognize that this is a group that has taken stands totally outside the bounds of church teaching.Unfortunately, as stated in the official program of this year’s conference, the leadership of that group has decided to include in the program an invitation to invalidly ordained “priests and bishops” to “celebrate a liturgy.”Here again it becomes my teaching responsibility to state clearly that such an action would make any claim of Catholic identity by the group to be misleading. Faithful Catholics attending these sessions would only promote division and disunity rather than genuine renewal in the church.People ask why I “allow” Call to Action to meet in Milwaukee. This group, of course, hardly asks my permission, and pays little attention to what any bishop, including the Bishop of Rome, has to say.

The second sentence will not only deny civil unions and other legal protections for loving and committed gay families but it will jeopardize legal protections for ALL unmarried couples, gay or straight:Health Care Benefits Right to Make Medical Decisions Hospital Visits PensionsThat is just false. I would call it a lie, but I know not whether this claim is based on malice or ignorance. Nothing in the marriage amendment would jeopardize any of these things - at all. The slide into deception (or worse) makes it clear: "Fair" Wisconsin has no case against The Amendment which is, ah, fair.

This should damn near decide the question for Charlie Sykes and Jenna. If the opponents must resort to these tactics, it is clear that their agenda is propaganda.

Maybe the IDF's difficulty was due to the fact that the UNIFIL ("peacekeepers") were helping the Hizbollah, according to the Weekly Standard.

DURING THE RECENT month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel, U.N. "peacekeeping" forces made a startling contribution: They openly published daily real-time intelligence, of obvious usefulness to Hezbollah, on the location, equipment, and force structure of Israeli troops in Lebanon.

UNIFIL--the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, a nearly 2,000-man blue-helmet contingent that has been present on the Lebanon-Israel border since 1978--is officially neutral. Yet, throughout the recent war, it posted on its website for all to see precise information about the movements of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and the nature of their weaponry and materiel, even specifying the placement of IDF safety structures within hours of their construction. New information was sometimes only 30 minutes old when it was posted, and never more than 24 hours old.HT: Dhimmi Watch

Because everyone KNEW who the leaker was within 4 months of Novak's column:

In the early morning of Oct. 1, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell received an urgent phone call from his No. 2 at the State Department. Richard Armitage was clearly agitated. As recounted in a new book, "Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War," Armitage had been at home reading the newspaper and had come across a column by journalist Robert NovakThis means that the Department of Justice knew the source of the Plame leak within four months of its occurrence. It also knew that the leak had no malicious intent. Patrick Fitzgerald, who almost certainly knew of it within the first days of his investigation, never attempted to indict the man whom he knew leaked the information. Why, then, has Fitzgerald's mandate continued after the first week of October?Fitzgerald took the case on September 26. If this book is accurate about its dates, the DoJ and Fitzgerald would have known about Armitage's role as the source of the leak five days later. Instead of either charging Armitage or closing down the investigation, Fitzgerald went on a witch hunt. He didn't even talk to Scooter Libby until two weeks after Armitage's confession. A year later, Fitzgerald had reporters Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper imprisoned for contempt of court for refusing to divulge a source about a leaker from whom Fitzgerald had already received a confession.Well, golly gee, Batman--he had a nice office, a big budget, and the opportunity to make a Big Name for Himself.

In the Regime of Incumbent Protection, anyone wishing to merely mention the name of the Sacred Federal Cows must perform a "Mommy, May I??" dance, groveling before the blackrobes.

So much for the First Amendment in the Feingold Era of "Reform (for the Sake of the Incumbents.)" Therefore:

A pro-life group filed a motion Friday in district court to allow them to air a radio ad calling on Wisconsin citizens to contact Wisconsin Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold and Herbert Kohl and urge them to push the Child Custody Protection Act through conference committee.Wisconsin Right to Life filed a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in the District Court for the District of Columbia to allow them to air the ad because the state is currently in the blackout period mandated by the McCain/Feingold campaign finance law."Because Senator Kohl appears on the primary election ballot, permission is needed from the federal court to air grassroots lobbying ads mentioning his name, even though the radio ad has nothing to do with elections," said James Bopp, Jr. counsel to Wisconsin Right to Life in a statement.Feingold made damn sure that no one would screw with the Sacred Incumbents:

"Wisconsin Right to Life officials risk jail terms if the radio ad is aired without permission by the federal court," Bopp added. The group plans to run the ad on Sept. 5.

The ad is favorable to Kohl, Lyons said, because it mentions that Kohl voted in favor of the measure. She said no one can claim "the ad is a 'ruse' to defeat" Kohl. "It is a genuine grassroots lobbying ad that deserves to be aired. It is free speech in its purest form," Lyons concluded.Free speech? What's THAT?

Saturday, August 26, 2006

It also left the question about what Bishop Sklba, who continues as Auxiliary Bishop, learned from the experience [the $450K payout of Archdiocesan funds to a grifter/friend of Abp. Weakland.] It appears he learned nothing, according to this "Herald of Hope" column in our Catholic Herald on the recent meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association.

I was re-elected to my third term as chair of the board of trustees ... a minor task which simply requires a five-minute stand up report on the health of the investments of the society.As a trustee he has what the law calls a fiduciary duty to oversee the activities of the association. A bishop, whose very title I understand comes from the Greek word for overseeing, has at least as high a duty to the people of his diocese. Yet here he is making a joke of his duties as chairman of a board of trustees. It might make for an interesting line of questions in his next deposition.But that's not the fun part, even though terms like Sarbanes-Oxley come to mind (perhaps inapplicable here...) THIS is the fun part:

While our Archdiocese might be headed for bankruptcy, the CBA is not.

We have a substantial nest egg, generated from royalties to the association because of the generous work of our members in producing and revising the New American Bible.

That's the Bible translation required to be used at Mass in the U.S.Perhaps the Catholic Biblical Association should tell US Catholics exactly how they are spending our money...aside from the snippy little letters they send which express "concerns" about authoritative documents from the Congregation for Divine Worship.

During the week, it was announced that researchers had developed a method by which they could remove a couple of cells from a blastocyst (early embryo) without harming the embryo; thus, ESCR is "do-able" without the moral concerns.

Critics, however, have a range of objections to the research. Catholic bishops, in particular, oppose both in-vitro fertilization and [such] testing, and therefore still object to the research, even though the cells would be derived from an embryo that is brought to term.Richard Doerflinger, deputy director for pro-life activities at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the church opposed in-vitro fertilization because of the high death rate of embryos in fertility clinics and because separating procreation from the act of love made the embryo seem "more a product of manufacture than a gift."Let us recall that to some scientists, 'if it CAN be done, it SHOULD be done.' And you thought Mary Shelley was just some jilted wife who wrote a horror story? Wrong. Another analysis of Frankenstein makes that story the archetypical story of illicit sex; it was the first "horror movie" (without the silver screen, of course) and the scripts have been the same ever since: if you're a bad girl, you suffer serious results--usually death. Or somebody dies, in the case at hand. The point is that mal- or mis-use of the faculty of procreation has grave implications, and they are usually significant.

It would seem that Charlie Sykes wants Mark Green to step off the curb here, while GWB is holding up a "Don't Walk" sign.

The Catholic Bishops, who pull Green's strings, are still opposed.Based on the analysis presented by both Wesley Smith (a genuine scientist), the apparent conflict between the article in Nature and the press release from ACT, and the VERY good questions they both raise, it's not time to 'declare victory' on ESCR.

About 300-350 transactions for “undocumented migrants” occur monthly at Mitchell Bank, according to chairman, James Maloney. These transactions are part of the only trial program in Milwaukee, with the Federal Reserve, to send money directly from the United States to people in Mexico.

Maloney gave a speech (herein called a "lecture," which captured its tone better) on the issue:

The lecture was titled “Undocumented Migrants: A Judeo-Christian Response” and it focused primarily on how Maloney thinks Christians should look to “the wisdom of the Catholic Church” to find answers and “transcend simple, nativist positions,” taken in the hotly debated immigration reform issue. One can infer that Maloney does not intend to make friends with people who are concerned about illegal immigrants--no matter WHAT their reasoning.

Maloney...said Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner’s recent legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, on immigration reform goes against Catholic social justice teaching.A position which he utterly failed to document, by the way.

Maloney said he is no foreigner to immigration issues, as his bank — established in 1907 in the Mitchell Street neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side, in the midst of Irish and Polish immigrant populations — is now home to about 70 to 80 percent Latinos. The comparison is invalid, but that didn't bother Maloney.

“I believe Sensenbrenner’s goal is to make life so intolerable that (undocumented migrants) must leave,” said Maloney, adding that the U.S. bishops say, “People have a right to seek out other places where they find decent conditions for human life, even in the case of illegal immigration.”Maloney described the story of Abraham and Sarah attending to a stranger, which appears in Leviticus, to illustrate his position. He further cited the Gospel of Matthew, saying, “for I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”The fact that John Paul II stipulated that 'illegal immigration should be prevented' was ignored by Maloney. The US Bishops' statement is not founded on Catholic social teaching when it seems to condone illegal activity. USCC/NCCB (the US Bishops' gaggle in Washington) makes a lot of "statements"--some of which are patently ludicrous.

This news story does not come close to revealing the vituperative attacks on Jim Sensenbrenner which Maloney unleashed during his 'lecture,' nor the other remarks he made which displayed a thoroughly condescending attitude towards those who happen to think that borders exist for a reason.

Unfortunately, Maloney makes this into a "black/white" issue with his intemperate language. During his 'lecture' Maloney did offer an interesting factoid (which may be true)--that is, that only 10,000 unskilled Mexicans are legally allowed into the US every year.

Thinking people may opine that 10,000/year is an exceptionally low number. Mr. Maloney will need more friends than the Federal Reserve and his customer base when he argues that increasing the legal number is imperative.

I want you to sum up the strongest reasons why, in your opinion, one should vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the ban.If the past is indicative, Ingrid's answers will be laden with feelings; Owen's will be laden with facts.

The Legislature should criminalize the first offense for driving while intoxicated, now prosecuted under local ordinances rather than as a criminal violation. And it should give law enforcement the ability to operate sobriety checkpoints. JS Editorial 8/25/06

However, the use of security checkpoints is troubling. While they could be an effective tool to stop some drunken drivers, they represent a sledgehammer approach. JS Editorial from 2000

Did the editorial staff change its position because Kate Falk advocates "sobriety checkpoints"? Or because the JS editors have become closet Statists?

"Checkpoints" are the US equivalent of "Your Papers, Please" from certain countries now located on the ash-heap of history.

And Paul Bucher should re-think ANY position he shares with Kate Falk and the JS editors.

Friday, August 25, 2006

There's a new CCD instructor at one of the West Suburban parishes, and it would appear that she has an affection for Indifferentism.

Discussion was about non-Catholics receiving Commnunion at a Mass and the 'leader' ventured the opinion that what with "all the theologies" out there, that she could understand the young Prots being allowed to receive that Body and Blood of Christ "if they really believed."

Oh?

Apparently there are a number of little darlings in this West Suburban parish who are decidedly Americanist in their outlook--that is, not well-formed in an understanding of the Church's teachings. This became clear in a lengthy discussion of married priests and female "priests."

Until now, geese foes have had to obtain permits from the government to kill the geese or destroy their nests and eggs, and that hasn't been easy. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a new rule making it easier for farmers, airports, landowners and public health officials to kill the geese without permits.The new rule went into effect earlier this month. The new rule includes several provisions, which allow:Airports, public health officials and landowners to destroy nests and eggs without federal permits.Private and public airports to round up the birds for destruction without federal permits.Local governments to round up the birds if they threaten public health by congregating at reservoirs, athletic fields, parks and public beaches. The new rule also allows states to establish August hunting seasons for the birds. The existing hunting season is Sept. 1 to March 10.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said the rule was prompted in response to "growing impacts from overabundant populations of resident Canada geese."

Of course, some object:

John Hadidian, urban wildlife program director for The Humane Society of the United States, said the Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to bring down the resident population by 1 million birds.

"That means killing that many birds every year, for the next 10 years," Hadidian said. "That's appalling." Depends. That's a million doses of foie gras available for non-Chicago people.

Apparently the Gay "Marriage" crowd needed a bit of Public Sniffling to make its case that unnatural activity needs State blessings, so (surprise, surprise) some guy quits UW-Madison because the State won't provide bennies for his "partner."

It would have been nice if the story included information about Rob Carpick's salary, which is currently $90,000. What will he be making at his new job? Isn't that relevant to why he's leaving?It would have been nice if the story explained why, in a time when most Wisconsin residents are struggling with health care costs, we should be concerned about the boyfriend of a guy making $90,000 who's not willing to pay for health care. In fact, his boyfriend, Carlos Chan, is healthy and able to work, and actually already gets health care from the UW! The catch is, he actually has to work there, but he does so "reluctantly."It would have been nice if the story recognized that often times, people leave the UW for reasons other than what they publicly state. I'm not buying this guy's story at allIt does seem....ahhhh....Convenient....no??

UPDATE: Be sure to read the intelligent and articulate argument posted in the combox! Maybe someone's undies are a bit tight this morning?

A legislative committee agreed Thursday that the state should crank up spending on transportation by 40% a year to cover longtime funding shortages but offered no ways to come up with the extra money.

There's a REASON that they 'offered no ways to come up with the money:'

Funding options will be developed this year - after most committee members and the two candidates for governor stand for election Nov. 7.

The portion of a draft report adopted unanimously by the Committee on Transportation Needs and Financing said the state needs another $698.2 million a year for the construction and maintenance of highways and local roads and mass transit programs. That would bring the annual budget for that work to $2.41 billion, or 40% more than the current $1.71 billion.Of course, it's not "fixing" the roads which gets the big bucks:

The bulk of the added money - $544.6 million - would go toward highway construction.

...which highways WILL have to be maintained, but no problem, THAT'S several elections away...

Coming up with $698.2 million would be the equivalent of increasing the gas tax by 21.2 cents a gallon, to 54.1 cents, or nearly quadrupling the $55 annual vehicle registration fee.

The report blames the shortages on declining revenue and a number of other problems. Transportation is largely funded with gas taxes and registration fees, but gas tax revenue is declining because people are driving less in the face of high gas prices.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Did some wholesale blogroll stuff today, removing a few inactives and inserting:

Fraley, a Pubbie shill-for-hireBadgerBlogger, a Milwaukee observerGrim's Hall, a philosophically-inclined military observerP-Mac McIlheran, a JS writer who is conservative (!!!)Random 10, a VERY perceptive science guy from MadistanShark & Shepherd, a Milwaukee high Anglican lawyer and profSpotted Horse, who can be even nastier than moiAsian Badger, a pilot, humanitarian, investor, and generally boisterous characterThe Other Side of My Mouth, a Brookfield lefty with childrenXoff--this is where you get the G-2 on the wacko Democrat fantasiesView from the Cheap Seats, the guy behind you in the VERY large truckVox Day, self-proclaimed to be a Christian Libertarian (it's a contradiction in terms, but...)Cafeteria is Closed, a B-16 fan with really, really good pix and commentsChesterton & Friends, where you can get ruminations on and about (and from) GKCTen Reasons, a Cincinnatti dadThe Truth of Things, a Green Bay thinker.

We got our first "push-poll" call from the Doylies about 10 days ago and mentioned it here.

Then it got worse, but it's not the Doylies any more. Now it's the Pubbies.

4-5 times/week I delete emails from a (R) candidate for a local office. I like the other guy; but even if I didn't, my preference would change based on the number of absolutely unwanted "press releases" and "endorsement" emails I'm now getting from this campaign.

THEN there are the tape-recorded phone calls. Hell, I had some fun with the push-poller, who at least was alive. No such luck with tape recordings. No sireee!!

Takes about .3 seconds for me to hang up after I figure out it's a tape and note the name of the candidate. (That's so I can make obnoxious hang-up calls to his/her home after the election.)

Maybe the Pubbies have so damn much campaign money that they can rent automated calling machinery and send endless email communications.

As the bishop of the archdiocese where you reside, I am obliged to reply to your circular form-letter, sent to the bishops of the country on June 19, 2006.The opinions expressed in the two pamphlets enclosed in that correspondence are totally at odds with clear Church teaching. Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium, and Natural Law are consistent in opposition to abortion and so-called same-sex marriage.You speak of your duty to dissent. Well, at least call it such. To claim that support for abortion and same-sex “marriage” is consonant with Catholic moral teaching is preposterous and disingenuous.I, too, have a duty: to teach what the Church clearly believes. Your opinion on these two matters is contrary to the faith and morals of the Church.It's almost an insult to your intelligence to say so, but the recipient of this missive was none other than the Cancer of Marquette, Dan Maguire.

In the space of one hundred and seventy six years the Lower Mississippi has shortened itself two hundred and forty-two miles. That is an average of a trifle over a mile and a third per year. Therefore, any calm person, who is not blind or idiotic, can see that in the Old Oölitic Silurian Period, just a million years ago next November, the Lower Mississippi was upwards of one million three hundred thousand miles long, and stuck out over the Gulf of Mexico like a fishing-pole. And by the same token any person can see that seven hundred and forty-two years from now the Lower Mississippi will be only a mile and three-quarters long, and Cairo [Illinois] and New Orleans will have joined their streets together and be plodding comfortably along under a single mayor and a mutual board of aldermen. There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact. The rest of the blog entry (linked below) is a demonstration of blind belief in ONE answer to a question which may actually have TWO answers, or elements of both.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

By the time you swear you're his,Shivering and sighing,And he vows his passion isInfinite, undying,Lady, make a note of this —One of you is lying.If all the girls at Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be at all suprised. If you want to know what the Lord God thinks of money, just look at those to whom he gives itShe must have done it sliding down a barrister. (On hearing an actress had broken her leg)This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force

Parker was a part of the Algonquin Round Table group which included Woollcott, Benchley, Kaufmann, and Ferber.

2. They don't remember when "cut and paste" involved scissors. [or REAL paste...]5. Boston has been working on the "The Big Dig" all their lives. [and will PAY for it until they're dead, or longer]

6. With little need to practice, most of them do not know how to tie a tie.

8. They never had the fun of being thrown into the back of a station wagon with six others. [Not a mommy-van--a genuine station wagon.]

11. Philip Morris has always owned Kraft Foods.16. Voice mail has always been available.33. Aretha Franklin has always been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.39. American Motors has never existed. [Nor Nash, Packard, Studebaker...]54. They never saw the shuttle Challenger fly. [Nor, perhaps, Peggy Noonan's best speech]

62. Tom Landry never coached the Cowboys.

71. Miss Piggy and Kermit have always dwelt in Disneyland. And you thought that NPR producers were challenged by historical realities...

This year's frosh:

1. The Soviet Union has never existed

4. Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S.

12. Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.

19."Google" has always been a verb

27. There has never been a "skyhook" in the NBA. [And I got an autograph of Lew Alcindor for a brother-in-law....]

34. They have always known that "In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."

41. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.

47. Small white holiday lights have always been in style.

49. They have always been searching for "Waldo." [which is located on Hy. 57 south of Plymouth]

59. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.

62. Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice.

71. The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.

75. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.And "the Gap" has always been a store, not a generational reality....

Ann Althouse is not exactly a Conservative. She's more a legal positivist--one who believes that laws made by men can override the laws of nature--because after all, they are made (directly or indirectly) by lawyers and maintained or adjusted by judges, another classification for lawyers.

I think her confidence in those folks is generally misplaced.

Be that as it may, her Positivist foundation requires her to put the smackdown on errant judges; after all, if the Positivist community lets utter stupidity pass, an observer might begin to question Positivism. So Althouse demolishes Judge Anna:

So often, we’ve heard complaints about “activist” judges. They’re suspected of deciding what outcome they want, based on their own personal or ideological preferences, and then writing a legalistic, neutral-sounding opinion to cover up what they’ve done. That carefully composed legal opinion makes it somewhat hard for a judge’s critics to convince people — especially anyone who likes the outcome — that the judge did not decide the case according to an unbiased legal method of analysis.So perhaps the oddest thing about Judge Taylor’s opinion in the eavesdropping case is that she didn’t bother to come up with the verbiage that normally cushions us from these suspicions.

Well, Professor, she thought she was among friends...

But this is sheer sophistry. The potential for the president to abuse his power has nothing to do with kings and heredity. (How much power do hereditary kings have these days, anyway?) And, indeed, the president is not claiming he has powers outside of the Constitution. He isn’t arguing that he’s above the law. He’s making an aggressive argument about the scope of his power under the lawIt's an excellent piece. Just remember that a Positivist wrote the opinion which Althouse demolished.

"Daniel Schorr is used to producers popping into his Washington, D.C., office at National Public Radio to ask, on deadline: Which war came first, Korea or Vietnam? (Answer: Korea.)""....but, but, M.A.S.H. was filmed in the 1970's, no?"

I went to see Lynn Swan give a talk tonight, and he did a great job (two of my sons went and they agree). Hitting Rendell's constant fight to raise taxes, his broken promises on cutting the property tax, the waste in state government and other issues, Swan was rocking. This guy could instantly be on a short list to be president if he wins the race this fall.

Gilbert’s review amounts to a summary of how wrong, exactly, is the modern notion that Pius XII was anti-Semitic.From his work drafting Benedict XV’s 1915 denunciation of anti-Semitism, Eugenio Pacelli clearly stood for the liberty of Jews to live peacefully, recounts Gilbert. It was a record that continued through his 55 condemnations of Naziism while serving as the Vatican’s secretary of state right up to his face-to-face dressing-down of German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop in 1940. This reduction (although technically accurate) leaves the impression that the slandering of Pius XII is directed at Pius XII.

Not really. It's directed at the Roman Catholic Church as a whole, using the Pope as a proxy. The same weltanschauung applies to the prominent mentions that Benedict XVI was a member of Hitler Youth. But it wasn't B-16; it was his election by the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church that was being questioned.

The second sentence outlaws civil unions and seriously jeopardizes existing legal protections for thousands of Wisconsin families.The second sentence, in other words, is meant to prevent our future elected representatives from reaching a decision that Appling, Gundrum, and Fitzgerald don’t like. It's meant to prevent future generations--who already support civil unions in large majorities--from passing such legislation.Ms. Ankerson begins personalizing the debate--that's called "ad hominem" and it's typical.

Other conservatives believe we should support stable families, and that's precisely why they oppose making life more difficult for gay families.Really? "Stable"? And your proof is.....where?

Labor unions too have looked seriously at the language. They’re pointing out that the second sentence could take bargaining rights away from working families. We’re talking about health insurance policies that have already been negotiated and adopted for public employees, including at the La Crosse School District, the City of Madison, and the City of Milwaukee, as well as future contracts."Could" is right. But as we all know, contracted agreements are not LIKELY to be broken, unless they are blatantly discriminatory--like providing benefits ONLY for "gay" couples.

Legal protections such as medical decision-making and financial powers of attorney will be vulnerable to legal challenges if the ban passes. The Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups has been especially vigilant in its opposition.Uhhh--nope, Ingrid. The Legislature retains the power (even after the 2nd sentence) to allow power-of-attorney arrangements.

This is precisely why the second sentence of the marriage amendment exists. The objective of the amendment is to protect the institution of marriage from being arbitrarily redefined by a court.

...Without it, the first sentence will only protect the word “marriage” – not the institution.

The second sentence leaves the amendment open to the rhetoric that it “bans civil unions” which turns some folks against it. Of course, nobody actually bothers to define “civil unions.” It means different things to different people.

Owen CLEARLY understands that controlling the language will control the outcome of the debate. It's one thing to give a friend Power of Attorney privileges. It's another thing entirely to vest "civil unions" with ALL the privileges of marriage.

The Wiggle Word of the Day is "civil union."

And the objections of Ingrid are based on Wiggle Words. There's no "there" there, as we have pointed out before.